What passengers do and don’t do on a plane can make the difference in whether the trip is enjoyable. Certain activities set fliers up for exhaustion, illness and jet lag. The following are things to avoid while in the air so that your vacation is not ruined, according to Smarter Travel:

• Sitting still over an extended period while flying can be dangerous to your health. Not moving for hours can result in you arriving with aches and pains of tight muscles. People who sit still for an extended amount of time have a higher likelihood of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), where blood clots form. Such a conditional can result in severe injury or death. Passengers should increase muscle activity while flying by walking around the cabin and/or exercising their lower legs and ankles from a seated position.

• Getting drunk while flying magnifies the dehydrating impact of air travel which is a major contributor to jet lag. Hangovers are not a desirable way to start off a trip. Many people are unaware that alcohol drives up body temperatures which in turn can make it more difficult to sleep in flight.

• The dry air of airplane cabins as well as the tiny cups of liquid occasionally distributed by flight attendants often can lead to in flight dehydration. The impact of even mild dehydration can remain with you long after landing. Mild discomforts such as dry skin and itchy eyes frequently dissipate within a couple of days, so long as you make a point of drinking plenty of water.

Dehydration tends to worsen the symptoms of jet lag including fatigue, sleep problems, irritability, and nausea. Be ready to counteract the drying effects of flying by bringing your own water onboard and drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after your flight.

• Eating salty, greasy comfort food before boarding and/or sweet or salty snacks onboard can contribute to dehydration, jet bloat, and digestive problems that can bother you for days after arrival. Avoid a junk food hangover by eating healthy snacks and meals.

• Zoning out, such as settling in for an epic movie marathon or reading an entire book in one sitting, is not advisable. Instead you should take your travel time to prepare your body for your destination. Make a point to stretch and nap, activities that help ward off stiff muscles and DVT due to jet lag.

• If you are going to be crossing multiple time zones, set your watch to your destination and let your new time loosely guide your activities. If possible, sleep during your destination’s nighttime. Given that well rested travelers acclimate faster, attempt a few naps even if your flight time is during your destination’s daytime.

• If you end up being seated next to an obviously sick person (clues include constant coughing/sneezing, lots of medicine, and lots of used tissue), discreetly ask a flight attendant if there is a free seat somewhere else on the plane. If you are unable to move, wash your hands frequently, do not touch your face, and position your air vent slightly in front of your face to try and deflect some of the germs on your seatmate.

• Staying up all night prior to a flight is sometimes intentionally done to confuse a person’s internal flight and fight jet lag. Unfortunately the result is that you end up more tired and prone to illness and stress. Instead you do your best to get a good night’s sleep before traveling and use the flight time to ease yourself into your destination’s time zone by sleeping when it is night at your destination.
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